The Cullens and Pack Read the Twilight Saga- Reading Twilight
by kelsi106
Summary: One month before Twilight the Cullen's, Denali's and the Pack receive five books from the future. Will the Cullen's and the Pack change the future for the better and can they settle their differences or will the books happen as they were? As they read they will receive visitors of the characters in the story from the future.
1. Story Info

**The Cullen's and Pack Read Twilight**

 **I do not own Twilight. If I did Bella would be a badass and Vampires don't sparkle! Oh! And Bella would light Edward on fire for being a controlling ass and just get with Jacob already.**

 **Summery**

 **One month before Twilight the Cullen's, Denali's and the Pack receive five books from the future. Will the Cullens and the Pack change the future for the better and can they settle their differences or will the books happen as they were? As they read they will receive visitors of the characters in the story from the future.**

 **Original Pairing Changes in pairing**

 **Jasper/Alice None**

 **Rosalie/Emmet None**

 **Irena/Laurent Irena/Seth**

 **Bella/Edward Bella/Tanya/Jacob/Leah**

 **Sam/Emily None**

 **Carlisle/Esme None**

 **Edward/Bell- Edward /?**

 **Kate/ Garrett Kate/Paul**

 **Jared/Kim None**

 **Quil/Claire None**

 **Jessica/Mike Collin/Mike**

 **Mike/Jessica Brady/Jessica**

 **Charlie/Sue Charlie-Victoria**

 **Sue/Harry None**

 **Renee/Phil None**

 **Carmen/Eleazer None**

 **Warning some slight changes to the books not much but some**

 **Same pairings in the books but may not be the same in this timeline.**

 **Mike is gay, Bella is Bi, Edward is an Asshole and I don't like him, therefore he is alone-for now I might just torture him with Lauren or make him gay but in total denial not sure I just don't like his controlling ass. TEAM JACOB BITCH!**

 **Also the pack are already wolves from when the Cullen's first visited they awakened a gene so the original pack members descendents will always shift no exceptions. Also 'Dazzling in this story renders humans helpless, sort of like a vampire date rape drug, it makes the human a little like a thrall only humans that are a mate to a vampire are immune and only to their mate not other vampires so Bella is not immune to Eddie boy just Tanya. Also Bella's dreams in the books have significance there may be added dreams not in the book and more perceptive and observant. Bella is also slightly OC meaning she is more confident and sure of herself also she is a baddass, violent and sarcastic so heads up I am taking stuff right out of the book because they are reading the books but I am changing some stuff in it but it is mostly by the book.**

 **Also just a reminder these books are a what could've been sort of like an Alternate version of Twilight the character pairing in this story is in my mind the true pairing.**

 **Also it is possible but rare to have more than one mate or imprint, the most they can have is four people it is a sign that the last one to be mated is the most powerful of the pair the one who is the dominate to all in their mating circle.**

 **Book** "Speech" _Thoughts_ _ **Book Thoughts**_ _ **Notes/Title/Reference/**_


	2. The Book

**Chapter 1: The Books**

 **Denali, Alaska**

The day the Cullen's lives changed was a normal day for them. Well if you mean normal as in a family of animal drinking vampires bored out of their minds normal. Everyone was in the living room Alice was shopping online, Jasper was reading his war books, Rosalie was reading a car magazine, Emmett was playing video games, Esme was on the couch cuddling with her mate Carlisle who was reading the latest medical journal and Edward was moping about being the only single Cullen as he tried not to listen to his family's crude thoughts about their significant others.

The Cullen family were visiting with their 'cousins' the Denali family Tanya, Irena and Kate the Succubae sisters, and Carmen and her mate Eleazer. Carmen and Eleazer were cuddling on the couch with Rosalie and Emmet watching the game he was playing and the Succubae sisters just got home when there was a sudden flash of light appeared blinding everyone. When the light disappeared the Cullen's were surprised to find seven of the Quilettes of Lapush in the Denali living room. The Denali's prepared to attack the strangers invading their home when another flash appeared revealing five books and a note.

There was a moment of silence then there was total chaos. The Denali's were being restrained by the Cullen's from attacking the pack, the Denali's were pissed and the poor Quilettes were confused out of their minds. Everyone was shouting though there was no need with their super hearing until a very loud whistle sounded hurting everyone ears. Once there was silence everyone turned to see Alice Cullen looking very pissed off at everyone.

She had seen this coming of course she knew they would receive books from the future but would be unable to see anything about it from there on. So she knew this would happen what she didn't know was they were going to read them with a pack of mutts! So when chaos ensued she knew she had to stop it as the only one to foresee this so they can find out why they are here.

Once she had everyone's attention she calmly but forcefully told them to sit down and shut up. Once everyone is seated she explained to them what she did and didn't see in regards to the books. The pack that had been quiet until now made their presence known as to how they felt about the situation.

"Why do we have to read about the future with a bunch of leeches?!" sneered Paul Lahote the most hot-headed and temperamental of the pack. Paul hated vampires because he turned into a wolf. The whole pack knew it was their fault they were 'cursed' any descendent from the original pack would become a wolf no exceptions.

It would never have happened had their ancestors not made a treaty with them but they were sworn to honor it so they were stuck they couldn't kill them for it and they couldn't stop their descendents from shifting it was a rock and a hard place situation.

Rosalie Hale Cullen did not like threats to her family, she was the most protective of her family right after her husband and mate Emmet, she wouldn't let anyone hurt her family mentally emotionally or physically if she could stop it. So when those flea dogs called her family leeches and she saw how hurt the motherly vampire looked being judged for what they are and not who they are she snapped.

In what seem like a second Rosalie had Paul pinned to the wall and hissed at him as the other wolves began to growl and shake at the vampires in the room but they knew they were outnumbered and couldn't fight them all so they tried to calmed down and hoped to god that Paul calmed the fuck down and watched his mouth.

Rosalie leaned in his face staring straight into his eyes disgusted by the hate and bigotry from a boy who doesn't even know them and thinks them monsters. Pathetic! In a dangerously low voice she growled "If I hear one more hateful word about my family come out of your bigoted mouth I will rip your pencil sized dick off and shove it down your throat do you hear me mutt?!"

Paul didn't believe she would do it but as he stared into her eyes he saw how serious she was and knew she would follow through with her threat happily. So being wise for once he curbed his temper and gave her a jerky nod showing he understood. Feeling the need to goad him more and figuring he needed to apologize to her family, Esme especially she ordered him to apologize to them. With gritted teeth he apologizes all the while thinking how he wished he was anywhere but here.

Once that was done, Alice picked up the note and was about to read when Kate interrupted her ignoring Alice's impatience to get a move on. "Excuse me but who the hell are these people and what the fuck is that smell?" Kate asked causing her sisters to nod their heads in agreement as they were confused as well one minute they get in the house to relax the next a bright light filled with hot ass half naked dudes and a couple of girls appear another flash books from the future and boom mayhem.

Now normally the sisters would laugh at this kind of chaos but when your home is invaded by strangers in an even stranger way of travel coupled with their attitude problems and you got yourselves some questions.

Paul was about to tell the bitch off about her telling them they stink but when he looked into her eyes it was like gravity shifted. All of his ties, to the pack, his home, his tribe vanished as what seemed like steel cord cables attached themselves from him to her. It wasn't gravity that held him here it was her.

Kate was having a similar problem, for centuries her and her sisters wondered the earth bedding men and women alike to sustain and entertain themselves until they found their mate who could survive their succubus tendencies. A mate to love them and accept them, Succubus and vampire and all. So when she looked into Paul's eyes for the first time she knew she found her mate. She couldn't stop the word mate coming out of her mouth her voice filled with wonder and longing.

Paul thought about fighting the imprint but when he heard what his imprint had said and heard the longing in her voice any thought of fighting the imprint left his mind. He was fucking whipped and he knew it _by a damn lee-no not a leech anymore, by a vampire. Damn now I have to be nice to vampires, fuck my life!_ Paul thought.

Edward who heard Paul's mind and the packs mind knew what happened before anyone else and told them before the pack or Paul hid it from them. After the shock wore off they congratulated the newfound mated pair and began to introduce themselves.

Sam went first since he was Alpha due to being the first to shift; he introduced himself as Sam Uley Alpha of Lapush, Son of Joshua Uley Grandson of Levi Uley then he introduced his imprint Emily Clearwater.

Jacob went next; he introduced himself as Jacob Ephraim Black rightful Alpha of Lapush by blood and Sam's Beta, Son of William Billy Black, Grandson of Ephraim Black then he introduced his imprint Leah Clearwater Harry and Sue's daughter the only female shifter. Jacob and Leah were the first double imprint in the tribe's history.

After them the rest of the pack introduced themselves starting with the Clearwater's Harry, his wife and imprint Sue, Seth Harry and Sue's son. Then Embry Call who as soon as he was introduced to Irena they imprinted much to the elders and packs dismay, Old Quil Aterra Sr. and Junior. Collin Davis and Brady Denis, Jared smith and finally Paul Lahote.

After introductions were out of the way everyone found a seat in the living room to get comfortable, the Cullen's resumed the seats they sat in earlier and the Denali's sat with their imprints, Tanya who sat next to Jacob and Leah as she felt they were two of her mates. Jacob and Leah who imprinted on her but like Tanya they too felt that there was something missing. As Alice finally read the note once everyone settled down to listen.

 _ **Dear Cullen's, Denali's and Quilettes,**_

 _ **By now the Quilettes and books have arrived and you have introduced yourselves. Congratulations Mr. Lahote and Mr. Call, Mr. Black. Miss Clearwater and Denali's on finding your mates/imprints-**_

"Hold up! How the fuck did this person know we would imprint?!" Paul exploded again. He may have curbed his temper on vampires, he may have found his imprint but he still has an exploding temper. Kate smacked the back of Paul's head and told him to keep his temper or he won't be getting any. Poor Paul looked like she kicked his puppy. The rest of the group snickered at his misfortune before Alice answered through gritted teeth, "I swear if you two interrupt me again you won't have to worry about not getting any because I will get Rose to follow through on her earlier threat! NOW LET ME FINISH!" Alice screeched finally at the end of her patience. All the men in the room unconsciously protected their junk while Kate looked horrified her new toy was threatened before she could play with it. (Get it wink! Wink!)

Satisfied no one will interrupt Alice continued.

 _ **As for how I know Mr. Lahote I am a True Seer. Unlike Alice everything I see comes true no matter the decision. Anyway these four books are a possible future if you do not change it. The purpose of these books is to not only make a better future, but to right the future wrongs and hopefully the pack and your covens can abolish any and all of your bigotry and hatred and look passed what you are but see who you are.**_

 _ **You are to read in the following order;**_ _ **Twilight,**_ _ **New**_ _ **Moon,**_ _ **Eclipse,**_ _ **Breaking**_ _ **dawn.**_ _ **You will be receiving visitors from the future when necessary only two visitors at a time. At the end of reading all books you must decide what to change or if you would like to keep the events as you are. If you chose to change things make a list and once you go to Forks in the next month you should be able to change things.**_

 _ **Good luck.**_

 _ **S.M.**_

 _ **P.S once you are done reading a book it will vanish to ensure the secrecy of the supernatural.**_

 _ **P.S.S all of your Powers are disabled no one can use their powers and don't worry about anyone visiting or attacking you time has stopped. Yeah, I forgot to mention I have two other powers besides my Seer gift. Time control I control Time in all its elements, Timelines and time travel included, and taking away ones powers until I deem it fit to return them which is after you read ALL BOOKS IN ORDER.**_

After Alice read the note everyone was wondering who this S.M. person is and trying to wrap their minds around how powerful this person is and how all of this was possible. Edward and Jasper were relieved they wouldn't be able to use their gifts on anyone unlike Alice's gift, Edward and Jasper can't turn theirs off so they can finally relax.

As for a certain pixie vampire well she wasn't too happy. Alice relies on her gift too much so not being able to use it is going to suck. Kate wasn't happy both because she can't shock people and the trickster in her was not happy about not being able to shock the newcomers. Everyone else was happy their thoughts and feelings were safe not to mention they were safe from Kate.

Kate who was getting too impatient to get reading grabbed the book on the top of the pile which was _**Twilight**_ called out "I go first!" as she bounced excitedly on Paul's lap who was thinking about dead puppies and his grandma to make his problem go away as Kate bounce on his err- problem. Kate knew about his problem and was purposely bouncing on it to tease him and see how far he can push him until finally his grandma and her dead puppies won which made her pout but she was too excited to read about the future to care. So she ripped the book open and began to read after getting comfy and leaning against Paul and his problem of course. All the vampires in the room except Paul rolled their eyes at Kate while the pack looked at her like she was crazy which she might be.

Clearing her throat though unnecessary she began, " **PREFACE."**

 **I'd never given much thought to how I would die-**

"Well why would you?" Emmet asked confused already why would anyone think of how they would die unless they were suicidal?

"I don't know Emmet but if you would let Kate get through at least more than one sentence I'm sure we'll find out." Tanya growled through gritted teeth, something about this sentence bother her, she knew it bothered her mates as well they all felt like they were missing something and they wondered if they had one more mate.

Alice smiled smugly at Kate, _now she can see how annoying it is to be interrupted every two minutes_ Alice thought.

Unfortunately for Alice she couldn't use her gift for sure if she could she wouldn't be so smug, considering Kate would most likely interrupt herself but alas Alice will never know.

Kate resumed reading oblivious to the her sisters snickers at the smug look on Alice's face when they knew their sister well enough to know what's to come from the pair.

 **Though I'd had reason enough in the last few months-but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this.**

Alice who had been listening to the story and watching for people who might interrupt saw Emmet about to open his mouth again to interrupt but before he could speak he found a pillow smack him in his face knocking him off the couch. Anyone who had seen it laughed at Emmett even the wolves that were starting to think maybe these vamps weren't so bad after all. Those who hadn't looked at Alice seeing her as the most likely suspect considering how she hates interruptions only to find her looking at them in wide eyed innocent look which they didn't buy but let it go with a roll of the eyes and a long suffering sigh. After everyone was calm again Kate continued again.

 **I stared without breathing across the long room into the dark eyes of the hunter; he looked pleasantly back at me.**

"So this person is being hunted by a leech?" Sam Uley asked, after all who would hunt this person other than a vampire.

"It could be." Carlisle answered as he thought about it, "It sounds more likely especially if this story is about a human surrounded by the supernatural then yes it would seem so," Carlisle reasoned.

For some reason this didn't sit right with Jacob and his imprints, they didn't know this person yet the thought of them being hunted or in danger bothered them.

 **Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of someone else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to count for something.**

 **I knew that if I'd never gone to Forks, I wouldn't be facing death now. But as terrified as I was, I couldn't bring myself to regret the decision. When Life offers you a dream so far beyond any of your expectations, it's not reasonable to grieve when it comes to an end.**

"BELLA!" Jacob shouted in shock as he both felt a shock and figured out who this was. Everyone looked at him in confusion as to why he shouted that while Tanya and Leah felt a shock at the name confirming what the three mates thought Bella was their final mate.

At everyone's look of confusion a shocked and worried Billy Black filled everyone in on who Bella is.

"Bella Swan is my best friend Charlie Swan's only daughter, she and Jacob used to be friends when they were little before she moved away with her mother. Next month Bella is coming to Forks to live with Charlie until she graduates."

Before they continued reading everyone listened they gave Billy, Jacob, Tanya and Leah sympathetic looks.

 **The hunter smiled in a friendly way as he sauntered forward to kill me.**

"That's the end of the preface, if nobody has any objections I'll continue to read chapter one," Kate's voice filled the suddenly tense room. When nobody objected Kate turned the page to continue reading.

 **"Chapter 1. First Sight"**


	3. Chapter 2- First Sight Part 1

**Chapter 2: First Sight Part I**

 _Previously:_

 _"Bella Swan is my best friend Charlie Swan's only daughter, she and Jacob used to be friends when they were little before she moved away with her mother. Next month Bella is coming to Forks to live with Charlie until she graduates."_

 _Before they continued reading everyone listened they gave Billy, Jacob, Tanya and Leah sympathetic looks._

 _ **The hunter smiled in a friendly way as he sauntered forward to kill me.**_

 _"That's the end of the preface, if nobody has any objections I'll continue to read chapter one," Kate's voice filled the suddenly tense room. When nobody objected Kate turned the page to continue reading._

 _ **"Chapter 1. First Sight"**_

" **Chapter 1First Sight** ," Kate read in a fake cheerful voice trying to ignore the tense atmosphere in the room.

Meanwhile Jacob, Tanya and Leah while still worried for their mate were happy and exited to hear about their mate. They assumed seeing as how in the preface it was in her point of view it would be so for the entire book, so they would hear how she thinks as well which tells a lot about a person. At the same time though they feel bad because even if this didn't happen yet and probably won't it feels like invading her privacy.

 **My mother drove me to the airport with the windows rolled down.**

"Why is that important?" Kate interrupted herself confused as to the relevance of the window?

A sound crossed between a scream and what sounded like a dying animal came from Alice as she gripped he short spiked hair in the process of pulling her hair out. She HATED interruptions!

"Who cares shut up and read the damn book without interrupting or I swear to god I will rip your arms off and hide it for a century!" the pixie like vampire screeched at her cousin. Paul growled at the pixie at the threat of harm towards his imprint, but Kate held him back. She knew Alice wasn't serious she would get her back but not with ripped limbs she would get more creative she knew. So not wanting to push her pixie cousin and distract her mate from the empty threat she turned back to the book to read ignoring her sisters sniggers at being right about Kate interrupting herself. Hell she knew she would interrupt herself she would have thought Alice would know her better to know this too but whatever.

 **It was seventy five degrees in Phoenix, the sky a perfect cloudless blue. I was wearing my favorite shirt- a black t-shirt of a vampire fang that says Bite Me!**

The vampires in the room laughed at the irony that the girl moving to a town with vampires, and that she has a shirt that basically advertises them to bite her. The Quileute's are horrified both by the shirt and the meaning.

"I'll bite you!" Emmet guffawed joking, unfortunately the wolves didn't know he was joking and growled at him in unison enough to dim his smile and hold his hands up in surrender.

"I kid, I kid! remember I prefer bears it was a joke! Jeez!" Emmet grumbled annoyed and insulted that the wolvesactually thought he was serious. Rosalie rubbed her mates shoulders soothingly and glared at the wolves for hurting her mates feelings.

Unknown to the Cullen's Tanya joined the wolves in growling at her family members at the thought of their fangs anywhere near her mate. Thankfully the wolves growls were louder than hers so she wasn't heard, unfortunately the same could not be said for her own family. Her sisters gave Tanya confused and concerned looks which she promptly ignored while Carmen and Eleazor gave her understanding and sympathetic looks.

Being mated longer than the sisters they knew Tanya will be territorial and protective of her mate. Even though she knew Emmet was joking just the thought of harm to her mate and another vampire claiming her mate as their own in any way is enough to set off her instincts.

Figuring to save her pranking but and relieve the suddenly tense room Kate continued marveling at how much trouble there is already over a girl they have never met.

 **dark wash skinny jeans and my dock martins; I was wearing it as a farewell gesture. My carryon was my laptop bag.**

 **In the Olympic Peninsula of northwest Washington State, a small town named Forks exists under a near- constant cover of clouds. it rains on this inconsequential town more than any other place in the United States of America. It was from this town and its gloomy, omnipresent shade that my mother escaped with me when I was only a few months old.**

"Poor Charlie, she was only a few months," Esme murmured in sympathy for the man, eyes glistened with tears she could never shed. Even though she has never met him she sympathizes no parent should be separated from their child.

Billy was surprised that the leech would feel bad for his friend and even more surprised when she looked as if she would cry for his friend if she could. _maybe the leeches aren't so bad after all,._ Billy thought to himself staring at Esme thoughtfully.

 **It was this town that I'd been compelled to spend a month every summer until I was fourteen. That was the year I finally put my foot down; these past three summers, my dad Charlie, vacationed with me in California for two weeks instead. It was to Forks that I now exiled myself-an action that I took with great horror. I detested Forks.**

"If you hate Forks so much why the hell would you move there to begin with?" Paul wondered. If he hated someplace he would never move there. _Although,_ looking at his imprint he thought _for her I would, not that I would tell her that or anyone. I may not be fighting the imprint but I sure as hell will be my own man and not lose myself to the imprint,_ Paul resolved. Turning back to the book he grabbed his imprints hand and gave it a small squeeze ignoring her confused look.

 **I loved Phoenix. I loved the sun and it's blistering heat.**

"Nah the cold is better, the sun sucks!" Kate pouted, she hated the sun she could never go out and she hated being stuck indoors for a long amount of time.

"No the heat is better and the sun!" Paul protested, he loved the heat and the sun it felt good and he could go to the beach and surf. If it is cold and not sunny he wouldn't be able to.

Kate turned around in her mate's lap and looked at her mate in defiance.

"Cold!"

"Hot!

"Cold!"

"Hot!

"Cold!"

"Hot!

"Sun Sucks!

"Does not!"

"Does too!"

"Does not!"

"Does too!"

"Does not!"

"Does too!"

"Shut up!" Everybody in the room collectively yell, wolves humans and vampires each yelled at the two bickering mates.

Pouting at everyone Kate turned away from her mate and sulked muttering about how she won and he was in denial and then continued to read in a petulant voice. Paul growled at that he was a competitive fucker and he refused to back down. He was not the one in denial! he too turned away from his imprint and sulked. Everyone rolled their eyes at the two children and tuned back to the story.

 **I loved the vigorous, sprawling city.**

" **Bella," my mom said to me-the last of a thousand times-before I got on the plane. "You don't have to do this."**

 **My mom looks like me, except with short hair and laugh lines. I felt a spasm of panic as I stared at her wide, childlike eyes. How could I leave my loving, erratic, harebrained mother to fend for herself? Of course she had Phil now, so the bills would probably get paid, there would b food in the refrigerator, gas in her car and someone to call when she got lost, but still….**

"She sounds like the child in the relationship instead of the mother." Esme worried, feeling bad for Bella for the responsibilities she must have had.

"I wonder if Bella ever got to be the child or got a childhood?" Rosalie questioned feeling bad for the girl. Rosalie always wanted children, preferable a daughter and the thought that this woman had a daughter and forced her child to grow up quickly and be the adult angered her.

" **I** _ **want**_ **to go," I lied. I'd always been a bad liar, but I'd been saying this lie so frequently lately that it sounded almost convincing now.**

"Good to know," Emmet smirked.

" **Tell Charlie I said hi."**

" **I will."**

" **I'll see you soon," she insisted. "You can come home whenever you want-I'll come right back as soon as you need me."**

 **But I could see the sacrifice in her eyes behind the promise**

" **Don't worry about me," I urged. "It'll be great. I love you, Mom."**

"Such a sweet child," Esme cooed with Rosalie grudgingly nodding in agreement.

 **She hugged me tightly for a minute, and then I got on the plane, and she was gone. It was a four-hour flight from Phoenix to Seattle, another hour in a small plane up to Port Angeles and then an hour drive back down to Forks. Flying doesn't bother me; the hour in the car with Charlie, though, I was a little worried about.**

"Why would she be worried he doesn't mistreat her does he?" Esme asked concerned.

At first Billy was insulted on his friends behalf that she could suggest such a thing but seeing the worry for Bella and the fact she doesn't know Charlie he answered her.

"No he would never! But they haven't seen each other since each other for a while despite the occasional visits and she is moving in permanently. Bella is a worrywart she is probably worried about Charlie and if she would be a bother."

Satisfied with the answer Esme thanked Billy and turned back to the book.

 **Charlie had been fairly nice about the whole thing. He seemed genuinely pleased that I was coming to live with him for the first time with any degree of permanence.**

 **He'd already gotten me registered for high school** **and was going to help me get a car. But it was going to be awkward with Charlie. Neither of us was what anyone would call verbose, although I can be snarky and sarcastic more often than not when I do speak and I didn't know what there was to say regardless. I knew he was more than a little confused by my decision- like my mother before me, I hadn't made a secret of my distaste for Forks.**

 **When I landed in Port Angeles, it was raining. I didn't see it as an omen- just unavoidable. I'd already said my goodbyes to the sun. Charlie was waiting for me with the cruiser. This I was expecting, too. Charlie is Police Chief Swan to the good people of Forks.**

 **My primary motivation behind buying a car, despite the scarcity of my funds, was that I refused to be driven around town in a car with red and blue lights on top. Nothing slows down traffic like a cop.**

Everyone snorted this girl has some humor.

 **Charlie gave me an awkward, one-armed hug when I stumbled my way off the plane.**

" **It's good to see you Bells," he said, smiling as he automatically caught and steadied me. "You haven't changed much. How's Renee?"**

" **Mom's fine. It's good to see you too, Dad." I wasn't allowed to call him Charlie to his face.**

"I should hope not that would be rude," Esme reprimanded in a voice thick with disapproval with her lips pursed.

As much as Billy agreed with the Cullen matriarch he understood why she would have trouble with this. Like he said before they don't really know each other, despite their visits it was few and far between and even then Charlie left her for Forks so he understands why she doesn't call him dad in her eyes he probably hasn't earned the title. After explaining his thought process to the others Esme calmed down a bit and sheepishly admitted it made sense.

 **I had only a few bags. Most of my Arizona clothes were too permeable for Washington. My mom and I had pooled our resources to supplement my winter wardrobe, but it was still scanty. It all fit easily into the trunk of the cruiser.**

"WHAT!" Alice shrieked horrified by how little clothes Bella has and vowed to bully her into shopping with her.

Everyone winced at Alice's shrill shriek and upon noticing the determined glint in her eyes felt sorry for Bella.

" **I found a good car for you, really cheap," he announced when we were strapped in.**

" **What kind of car?" I was suspicious of the way he said "good car for** _ **you**_ **" as opposed to just "good car".**

"She is very observant," Jasper said worried that the girl will be observant enough to figure out their secret.

" **Well, it's a truck actually, a Chevy."**

" **Where did you find it?"**

" **Do you remember Billy Black down at La Push?"**

 **La Push is the tiny Indian reservation on the coast.**

" **No."**

"Hey!" Jacob sounded offended his mate didn't remember his father, mostly because if she didn't remember his dad she wouldn't remember him. Leah and Tanya both rubbed his back soothingly.

" **He used to go fishing with us during the summer," Charlie prompted.**

 **That would explain why I didn't remember him. I do a good job of blocking painful, unnecessary things from my memory.**

At that Billy and Harry laughed as they remembered the distain little Isabella Swan held for the sport of fishing. She would get pissed that we would hurt the 'fishies' and cry. Any time she held a fishing pole or so much as looked at one she looked as if it were a snake.

Jacob, Tanya and Leah however growled at the thought of their mate in pain of any kind but even they had to admit it was funny.

" **He's in a wheelchair now," Charlie continued when I didn't respond, "so he can't drive anymore and e offered to sell his truck cheap."**

" **What year is it?" I could see from his change of expression that this was the question he was hoping I wouldn't ask.**

"He probably was, Bella does not like too much money spent on her."

That made Tanya pout as she had planned to spoil her mates rotten with the massive amount of wealth she accumulated over the years, she now has people beside her coven to spend it on.

" **Well, Billy's done a lot of work on the engine- it's only a few years old really."**

"More like I did a lot of work on the engine," Jacob corrected the book.

"Jake, honey you are talking to a book." Tanya pointed out.

"Yeah weirdo it can't talk back," Leah snarked, between Tanya and Leah Tanya is the kind one and Leah is the bitchy and blunt one.

Jacob harrumphed and turned away from his mates pouting ignoring the giggles from the girls and the chuckles from the men.

 **I hoped he didn't think so little of me as to believe I would give up that easily.**

"I would be surprised if she did Bells, never gives up," Billy said.

 **"When did he buy it?"**

" **He brought it in 1984, I think."**

" **Did he buy it new?"**

" **Well, no. I think it was new in the early sixties- or late fifties at the earliest," he admitted sheepishly.**

" **Ch—Dad, I don't really know anything about cars. I wouldn't be able to fix it if anything went wrong and I couldn't afford a mechanic…"**

" **Really, Bella, the thing runs great. They don't build them like that anymore."**

 _ **The thing**_ **, I thought to myself…it had possibilities** **as a nickname, at the very least.**

"I would be offended if I didn't agree with her it really is a thing, durable yes but a thing none the less." Jacob agreed, Billy looked like he would protest and defend the truck but gave up conceding his son had a point.

" **How cheap is cheap?" After all, that was the part I couldn't compromise on.**

" **Well, honey, I kind of already brought it for you. As a homecoming gift."**

 **Charlie peeked sideways at me with a hopeful expression. Wow. Free.**

" **You didn't have to do that, Dad. I was going to buy myself a car."**

" **I don't mind. I want you to be happy here." He was looking ahead at the road when he said this. Charlie wasn't comfortable with expressing his emotions out loud. I inherited that from him, but I was also good at hiding my emotions too. So I was looking straight ahead as I responded.**

" **That's really nice, Dad. Thanks. I really appreciate it." No need to add that my being happy in Forks is an impossibility.**

Everyone was sad at her misery for being in a town she hated.

 **He didn't need to suffer along with me. And I never looked a free truck in the mouth- or engine.**

Everyone laughed again at her sarcastic humor and thought this girl would be fun to be around.

" **Well, now, you're welcome," he mumbled, embarrassed by my thanks.**

 **We exchanged a few more comments on the weather, which was wet, and that was pretty much it for conversation.**

"Really the weather?" Kate interrupted herself incredulously. Seriously the best these people could talk about was the weather. Now that is just sad.

"Maybe they have nothing to talk about," Tanya defended her mate

"Or maybe they just aren't comfortable with each other to talk about anything else," Leah snarkly replied.

 **We stared out the window in silence. It was beautiful, of course; I couldn't deny that. Everything was green: the trees, their trunks covered with moss, their branches hanging with a canopy of it, the ground covered with ferns. Even the air filtered down greenly through the leaves. It was too green- an alien planet.**

Everyone laughed again at the girls weird humor, Emmet going so far as to rolling around in laughter on the floor even though it wasn't that funny.

"This chick is hilarious! Can we keep her?" Emmet chuckled.

Everyone chuckled at the bearlike vampire and agreed she was funny but not that funny.

 **Eventually we made it to Charlie's. He still lived in the small, two-bedroom house that's he'd brought in the early days of their marriage. Those were the only kind of days their marriage had- the early ones. There, parked on the street in front of the house that never changed, was my new- well new to me- truck. It was faded red color, with big, rounded fenders and a bulbous cab. To my intense surprise I loved it.**

"I disagree yes it is a classic but the color and presumably rust not to mention condition of the car sucks. Therefore it is a worthless car." Rosalie ranted in distain for the Thing. Jacob even though he agreed with her growled at her as she insulted his mates truck that she obviously loved and the car he put so much work into.

 **I didn't know if it would run, but I could see myself in it. Plus, it was one of those solid iron affairs that never gets damaged- the kind you see at the scene of an accident, paint unscratched, surrounded by the pieces of the foreign car it had destroyed.**

"Which is probably why he got it, with how accident prone Bella is this is the perfect car for her." Billy chuckled as he thought of the reason why Charlie bought this specific car and remembered the interrogation he gave about if it is durable or not.

" **Wow, Dad, I love it! Thanks!" Now my horrific day tomorrow would be just that much less dreadful. I wouldn't be faced with the choice of either walking two miles in the rain to school or accepting a ride in the Chief's cruiser.**

" **I'm glad you like it," Charlie said gruffly, embarrassed again.**

 **It only took one trip to get all my stuff upstairs.**

 **I got the west bedroom that faced out over the front yard. The room was familiar; it had belonged to me since I was born. The cherry polished wooden floor, the dark red walls, the peaked ceiling, the black lace curtains around the window- these were all a part of my childhood. The only changes Charlie had ever made were switching the crib for a bed and adding a desk as I grew. The desk now held a brand new desktop computer, with the phone line for the modem stapled along the floor to the nearest phone jack. This was a stipulation from my mother, so that we could stay in touch easily. The rocking chair from my baby days was still in the corner. There was only one small bathroom at the top of the stairs, which I would have to share with Charlie. I was trying not to dwell too much on that fact.**

"Poor girl she has to share a bathroom with a man, her father at that!" Irena sympathized men can be dirty pigs, so there could be a mess in the bathroom or he could walk in while she is on the toilet or in the shower, seeing as he is used to living alone.

The girls in the room nodded in sympathy while the men rolled their eyes and looked offended. They weren't that bad, were they?

 **One of the best things about Charlie is that he doesn't hover. He left me alone to unpack and get settled, a feat that would have been altogether impossible for my mother. It was nice to be alone, not to have to smile and look pleased; a relief to stare dejectedly out the window at the sheeting rain and let just a few tears escape.**

"Aww!" the girls cooed in sympathy for the girl and the men smartly shut their mouth and did not roll their eyes. Although they felt bad about for Bella too but they would not coo over a grown woman. It was so unmanly! Bella's mates growled and whined at her pain, they hated seeing or hearing about their mate in pain or distress and they had a feeling that more often than not that is what they will hear about and are not looking forward to it.

 **I wasn't in the mood to go on a real crying jag. I would save that for bedtime, when I would have to think about the coming morning. Forks High School had a frightening total of only three hundred and fifty-seven- now fifty-eight- students; there were more than seven hundred people in my junior class alone back home. All the kids here had grown up together- their grandparents had been toddlers together. I would be the new girl from the big city, a curiosity, a freak.**

Everyone growled at Bella thinking she is a freak and woe be tied anyone who would call her such.

 **Maybe, if I looked like a girl from Phoenix should, I could work this to my advantage. But physically, I'd never fit in anywhere. I should be tan, sporty, blond- a volleyball player or a cheerleader perhaps-**

 **all the things that go with living in the valley of the sun. Instead I was ivory- skinned, without even the excuse of blue eyes or red hair, despite the constant sunshine. I had always been slender, but soft somehow, obviously not an athlete; I didn't have the necessary hand-eye coordination to play sports without humiliating myself- and harming both myself and anyone else who stood too close.**

"She sounds like a beautiful young lady," Esme decided. Jacob, Leah and Tanya nodded and surprisingly so did Edward who while listening had unknown to everyone even himself developed a crush on the human girl who had captured the hearts of everyone in the room.

Emmet opened his mouth probably to joke about her clumsiness but Alice did not need her seer abilities to know that won't go well and promptly threw a pillow at her brother effectively shutting him up and making everyone laugh at him.

Still chuckling at Emmet Kate was about to continue but was interrupted but the growling of the wolves and elder's stomachs. Realizing they forgot that the wolves and humans need to eat they sheepishly apologized for forgetting.

"Why don't we pick this up tomorrow it is getting late and I would wager you are tired as well yes?" Carlisle asked after all when they arrived it was 8:00 at night it is now close to midnight.

The wolves and humans nodded vigorously they were so into the story they forgot to eat and didn't realize how tired they were until now. Torn between hunger and exhaustion and hearing about their mate Leah and Jacob grudgingly agreed to continue tomorrow in favor of food and sleep.

Esme was happy to cook for the humans and wolves and enthusiastically buzzed around the kitchen to make them food. After they ate the wolves and humans left to sleep in the guest rooms with their mates. While the wolves and humans slept the Cullen's and Denali's discussed the book until their guests or mates awoke for tomorrow.

The next morning after breakfast the Cullen's, Denali's and Quileute's resumed their spots from yesterday to continue reading.

"So who wants to read?" Carlisle asked pointedly ignoring Kate's hand seeing as she has already read. After some debate it was decided that Esme would read.

With that settled everyone got comfortable for the long day of reading ahead of them looking forward to hearing more about Bella Swan.

"


	4. Chapter 3 First Sight Part 2

**Chapter 3: First Sight Part 2**

Carlisle handed his wife the book and she got comfortable before she unnecessarily cleared her throat and began to read.

 **When I finished putting my clothes in the old pine dresser, I took my bag of bathroom necessities and went to the communal bathroom to clean myself up after the day of travel. I looked at my face in the mirror as I brushed my through my tangled, damp hair. Maybe it was the light, but already I looked sallower, unhealthy. My skin could be pretty- it was very clear, almost translucent looking- but it depended on color. I had no color here.**

"Well that makes no sense everyone has color!" Emmet said stupidly causing everyone to chuckle and roll their eyes at the big man-child.

"It's sarcasm Em," Edward said exasperatedly wanting to bang his head on a wall. He knew Emmet can be smart behind that stupid mask he puts up is a very smart man. But her never shows it and it annoys Edward to see his potential go to waste.

 **Facing my pallid reflection in the mirror, I was forced to admit that I was lying to myself. It wasn't physically that I'd never fit in. And if I couldn't find a niche in a school with three thousand people, what were my chances here?**

At that the Cullen kids who went to high school more times than they would want felt for the girl. They knew finding a niche in school is important for having a smooth time in school. Which is why they are their own niche both because they can't get close to the humans but because as they only need each other.

 **I didn't relate well to people my age.**

"That sucks! Is there something wrong with her" Kate blurted out before Esme could continue causing growls to be heard around the room.

"Maybe she is too smart for others her age" Tanya defended her mate glaring at her sister for insulting her mate.

"Maybe seeing as she has spent god knows how long mothering Renee and being an adult she either never learned how to be a kid and thus how kids her age should act." Leah stated glaring at the Leech who dared to badmouth her imprint and also pissed because she believes that is what happened to Bella and it makes her mad at Renee but since she is not here to take her displeasure out on the leech who insulted Bella will have to do.

"Or maybe she is not a people person." Jacob offered trying to calm down as he needed to hear more about Bella and if he is mad or shifts he would have to leave to calm down seeing as both of his imprints are too mad to calm him and he is in no state to calm them down.

Kate not knowing that she insulted her sisters mate or an imprint was confused _what's got their panties in a twist?_ shrugging she ignored the growls directed at her as she listened to Esme continue all the while wondering if maybe this Bella is Tanya's mate.

 **Maybe the truth was that I didn't relate well to people, period.**

"Well we don't either so maybe she could hang with us, it would make us stick out less and she would feel better," Emmett said proud of his plan to make his family appear more normal to the humans and help out a girl who reminds him of his baby sister Marie from when he was human. Meanwhile his wife smacked the back of his head and Edward growled at him for his idiocy/

"Oh hell no Emmett didn't you listen to how observant she is and us never eating well that will add to things she would see if she did not to mention the danger of the situation then the she would figure out what we are and we will have to either kill her or turn her" Rosalie said a vicious glare set on her perfect face it was enough even to make Emmett shrink in his seat.

Growls echoed across the room at the thought of the Cullen's killing or biting a human especially Bella. Jacob and Leah were close to shifting, Tanya who knew the laws was calming her mates down as best as she can while explaining the exception to the Law is mates and seeing as she is her mate Bella is safe.

Meanwhile Carlisle was explaining to the pack about the Volturi and their laws as well as the consequences of breaking them.

"Yes Emmett you should maybe think before you start to say things" Edward said as he too glared at Emmett while rubbing his temple as the growls and arguments around the room gave him a headache.

"Enough! Behave and let's just continue shall we" Esme said sweetly and Edward and Rosalie grudgingly stopped there glaring.

 **Even my mother, who I was closer to than anyone else on the planet, was never in harmony with me, never exactly on the same page. Sometimes I wondered if I was seeing the same things through my eyes that the rest of the world was seeing through theirs. Maybe there was a glitch in my brain. But the cause didn't matter. All that mattered was the effect. And tomorrow would just be the beginning.**

 **I didn't sleep well that night, even after I was done crying.**

"Aww" the girls cooed in sympathy for the girl feeling bad she was crying and wishing she would like Forks enough to not cry every night.

 **The constant whooshing of the rain and the wind across the roof wouldn't fade into the background. I pulled the faded quilt over my head, and later added the pillow, too. But I couldn't fall asleep until after midnight, when the rain finally settled into a quieter drizzle. Thick fog was all I could see out my window in the morning, and I could feel the claustrophobia creeping up on me. You could never see the sky here; it was like a cage.**

"That's Forks for you" Rosalie said sarcastically

 **Breakfast with Charlie was a quiet event. He wished me good luck at school. I thanked him knowing his hope was wasted.**

"that's strange, I wonder why she would think that? " Jake wondered aloud

 **Good luck tended to avoid me.**

"Oh I guess that's why"

 **Charlie left first, off to the police station that was his wife and family. After he left, I sat at the old square oak table in one of the three unmatching chairs and examined his small kitchen, with its dark paneled walls, bright yellow cabinets, and white linoleum floor. Nothing was changed. My mother had painted the cabinets eighteen years ago in an attempt to bring some sunshine into the house. Over the small fireplace in the adjoining handkerchief-sized family room was a row of pictures. First a wedding picture of Charlie and my mom in Las Vegas, then one of the three of us in the hospital after I was born, taken by a helpful nurse, followed by a procession of my school pictures up to last year's. Those were embarrassing to look at- I would have to see what I could do to get Charlie to put them somewhere else, at least while I was living here.**

 **It was impossible, being in this house, not to realize that Charlie had never gotten over my mom. It made me uncomfortable.**

"Poor Charlie, maybe we should set him up on a blind date?" Sue suggested to her husband to which he agreed causing Billy to shift uncomfortably. _The only person besides Renee he would even consider dating is Sue and I know he would never go for her seeing she is taken._

 **I didn't want to be early to school, but I couldn't stay in the house anymore. I donned my jacket- which had the feel of a biohazard suit- and headed out into the rain. It was just drizzling still, not enough to soak me though immediately as I reached for the house key that was always hidden under the eaves by the door, and locked up.**

 **The sloshing of my new waterproof boots was unnerving. I missed the normal crunch of gravel as I walked. I couldn't pause and admire my truck again as I wanted: I was in a hurry to get out of the misty wet that swirled around my head and clung to my hair under my hood. Inside the truck, it was nice and dry. Either Billy or Charlie had obviously cleaned it up,**

"I did!" Jacob shouted proudly his chest puffing up in pride that his imprint noticed someone cleaned it up. _Even though she thinks it was dad or Charlie she notice it!_

Tanya discreetly rolled her eyes at her mate and kissed his cheek while Leah openly rolled her eyes at her imprint muttering dork under her breath knowing everyone supernatural could hear her but with affection in her voice to take out any sting.

 **but the tan upholstered seats still smelled faintly of tobacco, gasoline and peppermint.**

"gross it most likely would smell of dog too" Rosalie said as she wrinkled her nose causing said dogs to growl and Jakes pride to deflate knowing she was that observant to point out the smell.

 **The engine started quickly, to my relief, but loudly, roaring to life and then idling at top volume. Well, a truck this old was bound to have a flaw. The antique radio worked, a plus that I hadn't expected.**

"I didn't either," Rosalie scoffed in agreement as even Jake was surprised as he hadn't fixed the radio yet he had just finished fixing the engine last week and was getting the parts to fix the radio this week. But knowing he fixed it left him proud as he thought it was hopeless at first glance.

 **Finding the school wasn't difficult, though I'd never been there before. The school was, like most things, just off the highway. It was not obvious that is was the school; only the sign, which declared it to be the Forks High School, made me stop. It looked like a collection of matching houses, built with maroon-colored bricks. There were so many trees and shrubs I couldn't see its size at first. Where was the feel of the institution? I wondered nostalgically. Where were the chain-link fences, the metal detectors?**

"Metal detectors?" Emmett asked confused _why would Bella think she was going to a prison when she mention going to forks high?_

"Yes most big schools find the need to check students for weapons that might be harmful; to others" Edward said remembering from the minds he had read from some schools like that and how one student was found bringing a knife to the school but was caught thanks to the metal detectors.

 **I parked in front of the first building, which had a small sign over the door reading FRONT OFFICE. No one else was parked there, so I was sure it was off limits, but I decided I would get directions inside instead of circling around in the rain like an idiot. I stepped unwillingly out of the toasty truck cab and walked down a little stone path lined with dark hedges. I took a deep breath before opening the door.**

 **Inside it was brightly lit, and warmer than I'd hoped. The office was small; a little waiting area with padded folding chairs, orange-flecked commercial carpet, notices and awards cluttering the walls, a big clock ticking loudly. Plants grew everywhere in large plastic pots, as if there wasn't enough greenery outside. The room was cut in half by a long counter, cluttered with wire baskets full of papers and brightly colored flyers taped to its front.**

 **There were three desks behind the counter, one of which was manned by a large, red-haired woman wearing glasses. She was wearing a purple t-shirt, which immediately made me feel overdressed.**

"who is this fashion disaster?" Alice practically shrieked crinkling her nose in disgust at her attire causing everyone to laugh.

 **The red-haired woman looked up.**

" **Can I help you?"**

" **I'm Isabella Swan** ," **I informed her and saw the immediate awareness in her eyes. I was expected, a topic of gossip no doubt. Daughter of the Chief's flighty ex-wife, come home at last.**

" **Of course," she said. She dug through a precariously stacked pile of documents on her desk till she found the right ones she was looking for.**

" **I have your schedule right here, and a map of the school." She brought several sheets to the counter to show me. She went through my classes for me, highlighting the best route to each on the map, and gave me a slip to have each teacher sign, which I was to bring back at the end of the day. She smiled at me and hoped, like Charlie, that I would like it here in Forks. I smiled back as convincingly as I could.**

 **When I went back out to my truck, other students were starting to arrive. I drove around the school, following the line of traffic. I was glad to see that most of the cars were older like mine, nothing flashy.**

"Duh all the cars but ours suck" Emmett said with a small grimace that Rosalie nodded her head vigorously in agreement to.

 **At home I'd lived in one of the few lower-income neighborhoods that were included in the Paradise Valley District. It was a common thing to see a new Mercedes or Porsche in the student lot.**

"A Porsche," Alice said reverently with a dreamy sigh that was mimicked by Rosalie who had a wide eyed dreamy look on her face thinking of having a yellow canary Porches while Rosalie thought of having a cherry red one.

 **Still, I cut the engine as soon as I was in a spot, so that the thunderous volume wouldn't draw attention to me. I looked at the map in the truck, trying to memorize it now; hopefully I wouldn't have to walk around with it stuck in front of my nose all day. I stuffed everything into my bag, slung the strap over my shoulder, and sucked in a huge breath. I can do this, I lied to myself feebly. No one was going to bite me.**

The vampires in the room chuckle while the wolves not mated to the vampires and elders looked warily at the vampires.

 **I finally exhaled and stepped out of the truck. I kept my face pulled back into my hood as I walked to the sidewalk, crowded with teenagers. My black leather jacket did kind of stand out, I noticed but whatever. Once I got around to the cafeteria, building three was easy to spot. A large black "3" was painted on a white square n the east corner.**

 **I felt my breathing gradually creep toward hyperventilation as I approached the door. I tried holding my breath as I followed two unisex raincoats through the door. The classroom was small. The people in front of me stopped just inside the door to hang up their coats on a long row of hooks. I copied them. They were two girls, one porcelain-colored blonde, the other also pale with light brown hair. At least my skin wouldn't stand out here.**

 **I took the slip up to the teacher, a tall, balding man whose desk had a nameplate identifying him as Mr. Mason. He gawked at me when he saw my name- not an encouraging response- and of course I flushed tomato red. But at least he sent me to an empty desk at the back without introducing me to the class. It was harder for me new classmates to stare at me at the back, but somehow they managed. I kept my eyes down on the reading list the teacher had given me. It was fairly basic: Bronte, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Faulkner. I'd already read everything. That was comforting and boring. I wondered if my mom would send me my folder of old essays,** **or if she would think that was cheating. I went through different arguments with her in my head while the teacher droned on. When the bell rang, a nasal buzzing sound, a gangly boy with skin problems and hair black as an oil slick leaned across the aisle to talk to me.**

" **You're Isabella Swan, aren't you?" He looked like the overly helpful, chess club type.**

" **Bella," I corrected. Everyone within a three-seat radius turned to look at me.**

" **Where's your next class?" he asked.**

 **I had to check in my bag. "Umm, Government, with Jefferson, in building six." There was nowhere to look without meeting curious eyes.**

" **I'm headed toward building four, I could show you the way…" Definitely over-helpful.**

" **I'm Eric," he added.**

 **I smiled tentatively. "Thanks."**

 **We got our jackets and headed out into the rain, which had picked up. I could have sworn several people behind us were walking close enough to eavesdrop. I hoped I wasn't getting paranoid.**

" **So, this is very different than Phoenix, huh?" he asked.**

" **Very."**

" **It doesn't rain much there, does it?"**

" **Three or four times a year."**

" **Wow, what must that be like?" he wondered.**

"Dry, sunny and humid" Muttered Leah who knew some people from there and had visited before she became a wolf.

" **Sunny," I told him.**

" **You don't look very tan."**

" **My mother is part albino."**

Everyone laughed especially Billy who knew for a fact that Renee is not an albino.

 **He studied my face apprehensively, and I sighed. It looked like clouds and a sense of humor didn't mix.**

Everyone chuckled again while Emmet looked horrified at the thought of a town with no sense of humor.

 **A few months of this and I'd forget how to use sarcasm. We walked back around the cafeteria, to the south buildings by the gym. Eric walked me right to the door, though it was clearly marked.**

" **Well, good luck," he said as I touched the handle. "Maybe we'll have some other classes together." He sounded hopeful.**

 **I smiled at him vaguely and went inside. The rest of the morning passed in about the same fashion. My Trigonometry teacher, Mr. Varner, who I would have hated anyway just because of the subject he taught, was the only one who made me stand in front of the class and introduce myself.**

"Poor girl," Esme said with sympathy while everyone else nodded in agreement

 **I stammered, blushed and tripped over my own boots on the way to my seat. After two classes, I started to recognize several of the faces in each class. There was always someone braver than the others who would introduce themselves and ask me questions about how I was liking Forks. I tried to be diplomatic, but mostly I just lied a lot. At least I never needed a map.**

"she always looks to the bright side I like it" Kate said causing Jacob, Tanya and Leah to smile slightly thinking about their mate and how wonderful she sounds, they really can't wait to meet her.

 **One girl sat next to me in both Trig and Spanish, and she walked with me to the cafeteria for lunch. She was tiny, several inches shorter than my five feet four inches, but her wildly curly dark hair made up a lot of difference between our heights. I couldn't remember her name, so I smiled and nodded as she prattled on about teachers and classes. I didn't try to keep up.**

 **We sat at the end of a full table with several of her friends, who she introduced to me. I forgot all their names as soon as she spoke them. They seemed impressed by her bravery in speaking to me. The boy from English, Eric, waved at me from across the room. It was there, sitting in the lunchroom, trying to make conversation with seven curious strangers, that I first saw them.**

"This must be where whatever she meets supernatural is focused in the books." Carlisle reasoned.

"It's probably us" admitted Rosalie though she didn't sound happy about it, as the others shared a worried look due to the fact how observant she is they wondered how much she will notice at first glance.

 **They were sitting in the corner of the cafeteria, as far away from where I sat as possible in the long room. There were five of them. They weren't talking, and they weren't eating, though they each had a tray of untouched food in front of them.**

"No doubt about it this girl is way too observant for her own good" Jasper said with a worried frown

"Yes it seems that way but please let me continue" Esme said worried as she continued reading in a rather tense voice.

 **They weren't gawking at me, unlike most of the other students, so it was quite safe to stare at them without fear of meeting an excessively interested pair of eyes. But it was none of these things that caught, and held my attention. They didn't look anything alike. Of the three boys, one was big-muscled like a serious weightlifter, with dark, curly hair.**

"I'm the first one she notices? Hah! Beat that!" Emmett said causing Rosalie to hit him on the head

 **Another was taller, leaner, but still muscular, and honey-blond. The last was lanky, less bulky, with untidy, bronze-colored hair. He was more boyish than the others, who looked like they could be in college or even teachers here as opposed to students.**

"She seems to be very interested in you Edward" Carlisle said causing Esme to smile slightly- _maybe she's his mate oh that would be lovely he deserves someone after being alone for so long._

Meanwhile Tanya, Jacob and Leah were growling at Edward and the Cullen's for insinuating that THEIR Bella would ever be douchwards mate! But the only ones to notice Bella is their mate are the Denali's and Jasper seeing as being an empathy for so long even without his gift can tell. the rest are either not paying attention or are in denial that someone can have four mates.

 **The girls were opposites. The tall one was statuesque. She had a beautiful figure, the kind you saw on the cover of the** _ **Sports Illustrated**_ **swimsuit issue, the kind that made every girl around her take a hit on her self-esteem just by being in the same room. Her hair was golden, gently waving to the middle of her back.**

"Wow she has a good eye" Emmett said looking at his wife with love and lust in his eyes while Rosalie has a smug smirk and a look like the cat that ate the canary

 **The short girl was pixie like, thin in the extreme, with small features. Her hair was a deep black, cropped short and pointing in every direction. She looked cute like a pixie or an elf.**

"I don't look like a pixy or an elf!" Alice shrieked feeling absolutely offended while everyone laughed at the pixie vampire.

 **And yet, they were all exactly alike. Every one of them was chalky pale, the palest of all the students living in this sunless town. Paler than me, the albino. They all had very dark eyes despite their range in hair tones.**

there was a moment of shocked silence as they realized just how observant this little human can be and this is just their first meeting. They can't imagine how much she would notice if she spent more time with them.

"That girl is freaky!" Kate blurted out at the same time as Emmet said " this girl is scary!" Tanya was to shocked to even defend her mate while her other two mates had no problem growling at them.

The rest of the Cullen's however are worried enough to even reconsider moving to Forks at all on the off chance this girl finds out about them. But remembering the note they would judge if they should go after they read the books.

 **They also had dark shadows under those eyes- purplish, bruise like shadows. As if they were all suffering from a sleepless night, or almost done recovering from a broken nose. Though their noses, all their features, were straight, perfect, angular.**

"she seems very observant even from that distance" Jasper said getting even more worried for his families safety as well as Bella's.

 **But this was not the reason why I could not look away.**

"Huh she really isn't that different from ordinary people then she also must find us extremely good looking" Edward said sounding slightly arrogant his chest puffing out in pride causing Bella's mates to look at him in disgust.

 **I stared because their faces, so different, so similar, were all so devastatingly, inhumanly beautiful.**

"See" Edward said feeling smug that he was right

"nobody agreed or disagreed with you Eddie," Irena said with a roll of her eyes ignoring Edward growling at her for calling him Eddie

 **They were faces you never expected to see except perhaps on the airbrushed pages of a fashion magazine. Or painted by an old master as the face of an angel. It was hard to decide who was the most beautiful- maybe the perfect blonde girl, or the bronze-haired boy.**

 **They were all looking away- away from each other, away from the other students, way from anything in particular as far as I could tell. As I watched, the small girl rose with her tray in her hand-unopened soda, unbitten apple- and walked away with a quick, graceful lope that belonged on a runway.**

"again very observant" Carlisle said

 **I watched, amazed at her lithe dancer's step, till she dumped her tray and glided through the back door, faster than I would have thought possible. My eyes darted back to the others, who sat unchanging.**

" **Who are** _ **they**_ **?" I asked the girl from my Spanish class, whose name I'd already forgotten.**

"I wonder how this girl will describe us" Alice wondered aloud then shuddered at if she described her as an elf or a pixy again.

 **As she looked up to see who I meant-though already knowing, probably from my tone- suddenly he looked at her, the thinner one, the boyish one, the youngest perhaps. He looked at my neighbor for just a fraction of a second, and then his dark eyes flickered to mine.**

 **He looked away quickly, more quickly than I could, though in a flush of embarrassment I dropped my eyes at once. In that brief flash of a glance, his face held nothing of interest- it was if she had called his name, and he'd looked up in involuntary response, having already decided on an answer.**

"I have never heard of a human noticing so much in just one glance" Carlisle said his tone showed his amazement and his want to study her while his family members looked slightly amazed and worried too even Rosalie was worried about how observant the girl seemed

 **My neighbor giggled in embarrassment, looking at the table like I did.**

" **That's Edward and Emmett Cullen and Rosalie and Jasper Hale. The one who left was Alice Cullen; they all live together with Dr. Cullen and his wife." She said this all under one breath.**

 **I glanced sideways at the weird pretty boy, who was looking at his tray now, picking a bagel to pieces with long, pale fingers. His mouth was moving very quickly, his perfect lips barely opening. The other three still looked away, and yet I felt he was speaking quietly to them.**

"it is slightly concerning how much she has noticed in so little time" Carlisle wondered aloud

"Yes and imagine how much she could notice if she stayed in Forks" Esme said concerned for her family's well being and the girls. _Noticing too much is not good for her health and life expectancy._

 **Strange, unpopular names, I thought. The kinds of names grandparents had**

"Ha-ha only because were old enough for that to be true and older" Kate giggled

 **But maybe that was in vogue here-small town names? I finally remembered that my neighbor was called Jessica, a perfectly common name. There were two girls named Jessica in my History class back home.**

" **They are…very nice looking." I struggled with the conspicuous understatement.**

" **Yes!" Jessica agreed with another giggle. "They're all** _ **together**_ **though- Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Alice, I mean. And they** _ **live**_ **together."**

"Oh no what a crime call the Po- Po" Emmett and Kate said in mock horror then burst out laughing causing his family to laugh with him

 **Her voice held all the shock and condemnation of the small town, I thought critically. But, if I was being honest, I had to admit that even in Phoenix, it would cause gossip.**

" **Which ones are the Cullen's?" I asked. "They don't look related…?"**

" **Oh, they're not. Dr. Cullen is really young, in his twenties or early thirties.**

"Only to humans" Carlisle said

 **They're all adopted. The Hales are brother and sister, twins- the blondes- and they're foster children."**

" **They look a little old for foster children."**

" **They are now, Jasper and Rosalie are both eighteen, but they've been with Mrs. Cullen since they were eight. She's their aunt or something like that."**

" **That's really nice- for them to take care of all those kids like that, when they're so young and everything."**

" **I guess so," Jessica admitted reluctantly, and I got the impression that she didn't like the doctor and his wife for some reason. With the glances she was throwing at the adopted children, I would presume the reason was jealousy.**

" **I think that Mrs. Cullen can't have kids though," she added, as if that lessened their kindness.**

Esme smiled slightly at the fact that the girl seemed truly kind and hoped she could meet her one day even if it would be from a distance.

 **Throughout all this conversation, my eyes flickered again and again to the table where the strange family sat. They continued to look at the walls and not eat.**

" **Have they always lived in Forks?" I asked. Surely I would have noticed them on one of my summers here.**

" **No," she said in a voice that implied it should be obvious, even to a new arrival like me. "They just moved down two years ago from somewhere in Alaska."**

 **I felt a surge of pity and relief.**

"Interesting mix of her emotions wonder why" Jasper said

"Well lets read and find out" Tanya said anxious to find out herself she didn't like this much reactions to Edward and where is she and her mates while this child catches our mates attention?

 **Pity because, as beautiful as they were, they were outsiders, clearly not accepted. Relief that I wasn't the only newcomer here, and certainly not the most interesting by any standard.**

"Ah that explains it" Jasper said as it made sense

 **As I examined them, the youngest, one of the Cullen's, looked up and met my gaze, this time with evident curiosity in his expression. As I looked swiftly away, it seemed to me that his glance held some kind of unmet expectation.**

"What that's interesting I wonder why" Edward said slightly annoyed

" **Which is the boy with the reddish brown hair?" I asked. I peeked at him from the corner of my eye, and he was till staring at me, but not gawking like the other students had today- he had a slightly frustrated expression. I looked down again.**

"Why are you frustrated" Rosalie asked confused at his behavior

"Maybe at how much she noticed or about something she thought?" Edward stuttered slightly as he tried to come up with a good explanation but was coming up blank

"But Eddie these are her thoughts," Kate pointed out.

"I know that now Kate but my book self wouldn't" Edward said through gritted teeth he hated being called Eddie besides he had a suspicion of why he was frustrated and hoped he was wrong

" **That's Edward. He's gorgeous, of course, but don't waste your time. He doesn't date. Apparently none of the girls here are good-looking enough for him." She sniffed, a clear case of sour grapes. I wondered when he'd turned her down.**

At this comment, everyone began to laugh.

"She is very perceptive," said Rosalie, still laughing, "I like her."

 **I bit my lip to hide a smile. Then I glanced at him again. His face was turned away, but I thought his cheek appeared lifted, as if he were smiling, too.**

"no doubt I was" Edward said chuckling

 **After a few more minutes, the four of them left the table together. They were all noticeably graceful- even the big, brawny one. It was unsettling to watch. The one named Edward didn't look at me again. I sat at the table with Jessica and her friends than I would have if I'd been sitting alone. One of my new acquaintances, who considerately reminded me that her name was Angela, had Biology II with me the next hour.**

 **We walked to class together in silence. She was shy, too. When we entered the classroom, Angela went to sit at a black-topped lab table exactly like the ones I was used to. She already had a neighbor. In fact, all the tables were filled but one. Next to the center aisle, I recognized Edward Cullen by his unusual hair, sitting next to that single open seat.**

"poor human she has to work with Edward" Kate said sympathetically

 **As I walked down the aisle to introduce myself to the teacher and get my slip signed, I was watching him surreptitiously. Just as I passed, he suddenly went rigid in his seat. He stared at me again, meeting my eyes with the strangest expression on his face- it was hostile, furious.**

"Why are you pissed off at her she didn't do anything," Tanya growled at her cousin she didn't like how he is treating her at the moment and likes it even less how much she notices about him.

"I have no idea this hasn't happened yet, it might not happen! I don't know but I did nothing wrong. This is a book!" Edward shouted at his cousin frustrated at having to repeat himself and not knowing what is going on.

"Why don't we take a break stretch our legs and feed our guests than we can continue okay?" Carmen suggested shocking many people as she hasn't spoken much that many forgot that she was here. With the approval of the Quileute's or their stomachs rather they left the book in the living room to go eat and decided to get to know the vamps better after all they will be stuck her for awhile and they have mates to get to know too.


	5. Chapter 4: Lunch with the Vamps

**Chapter 4: Lunch with the Vamps**

As Esme made lunch for the wolves and humans the wolves decided to get to know these vampires. After all they are guests here and some of their tribesmen are mated to them. So Billy, Harry and old Quill Sr. decided to talk to Carlisle to get to know the elder vampire.

Paul was dragged away by Kate to do unspeakable things to her mate (wink! wink! nudge! nudge!)

Emily and Sue went to see if they could help Esme and ending up discussing different tips and recipes with the Cullen Matriarch.

Embry and Irena went for a walk to get to know each other they wanted to get to know their imprint/mate more and agreed not to let the imprint or mating bond dictate them and decided to fall for each other the normal way before they mark each other.

Jared, Quill Jr. and Seth played video games with Emmet and decided they like the burly vampire. Of course they changed their minds when he kicked their asses repeatedly in Call of Duty. Declaring he cheated they skulked away to go play chess with Jasper. After a round or two they declared all vampires cheat at games and went back to the couch to pout.

Jacob, Leah and Tanya however unlike their wolf and vampire counter parts were not getting to know each other. They were discussing their mate and how they were going to handle this after the books are read and what to change.

One thing they all agree on Edward Cullen will never get close to Bella without one of them there.

From what they have already read they can tell that because she met Edward first she is going to be 'his' in the books. Since Tanya is Bella's mate and not Edward's Edward could 'dazzle' her to be his and she won't even know it.

As for the rest of the Cullen's they would either agree with this method because Edward has been alone all of this time or won't notice her being 'dazzled'. Worse since she met Edward first when she meets Jacob or Leah she won't recognize them as her mates because of being 'dazzled' already.

Before they could discuss more Esme called them down to eat, declaring the conversation not over they left to go eat. Once they finished eating they settled into their usual reading seats and once settled Tanya grabbed the book and declared she would read.


	6. Chapter 5: First Sight Part 3

**Chapter 5: First Sight Part 3**

Opening the book and clearing her throat though unnecessary she began to read

 **I looked away quickly, shocked, going red again. I stumbled over a book in the walkway and had to catch myself on the edge of a table. The girl sitting there giggled.**

 **I'd noticed that his eyes were black — coal black**

"you haven't hunted and you go to a school filled with humans what the hell is wrong with you!" Tanya interrupted herself to shout at her cousin who dared to put her mate in danger.

Edward was about to defend himself when Rosalie of all people defended him/

"No, something is wrong" Rosalie commented perplexed at book Edwards behavior "Edward here has as about the same kind of control as Carlisle I don't believe he would fall off the wagon so to speak like this. Something is wrong." once Rosalie had finished everyone was staring at her in thought because as they thought about it they realized she is right. Something is wrong here.

"Alright" Carlisle spoke with a little frown on his face as he thought of a possible reason for this but hoped he was wrong, but he covered his unease quickly "lets continue" he continued

 **Mr. Banner signed my slip and handed me a book with no nonsense about introductions. I could tell we were going to get along. Of course, he had no choice but to send me to the one open seat in the middle of the room. I kept my eyes down as I went to sit by him, bewildered by the antagonistic stare he'd given me.**

"Edward Anthony Mason Cullen what a horrible thing to do to the poor girl considering how much she was already concerned with her moving schools you should be ashamed of yourself and you better act nicer to her" Esme scolded thoroughly disappointed in her 'son'

"Sorry mom" Edward whispered feeling ashamed of his book self and hoping he would change his attitude quickly.

 **Inconspicuously, I sniffed my hair. It smelled like strawberries, the scent of my favorite shampoo. It seemed an innocent enough odor. I let my hair fall over my right shoulder, making a dark curtain between us, and tried to pay attention to the teacher.**

 **Unfortunately the lecture was on cellular anatomy, something I'd already studied. I took notes carefully anyway, always looking down.**

 **I couldn't stop myself from peeking occasionally through the screen of my hair at the strange boy next to me. During the whole class, he never relaxed his stiff position on the edge of his chair, sitting as far from me as possible. I could see his hand on his left leg was clenched into a fist, tendons standing out under his pale skin. This, too, he never relaxed.**

"Well it seems she smells extremely good then if you're ready to attack" Kate said "hey maybe she's your singer that would explains it" once Kate had finished the Carlisle contemplated it that is what he thought earlier and it looks like his hopes of being wrong are dashed.

"you seem to be right Kate Edward it appears you have found your singer but it is amazing that you are able to refrain from attacking especially considering how they are supposed to smell" Carlisle mused "but enough lets continue

 **He had the long sleeves of his white shirt pushed up to his elbows, and his forearm was surprisingly hard and muscular beneath his light skin. He wasn't nearly as slight as he'd looked next to his burly brother**

 **The class seemed to drag on longer than the others. Was it because the day was finally coming to a close, or because I was waiting for his tight fist to loosen? It never did; he continued to sit so still it looked like he wasn't breathing.**

"I doubt you are it does help with the smell after all" Carlisle said thinking of all he knew of singers and how to prevent attacking them.

 **What was wrong with him?**

"Many things Bella Boo many things!" laughed Emmet

"Yeah we think he was dropped on his head when he was changing" laughed Kate high fiver her Emmet and Kate rolled on the floor laughing. Everyone laughed at the two while Tanya rolled her eyes at the two children and continued reading about her mate more worried now than ever after hearing she is her cousin's singer and hoping she would survive.

 **Was this his normal behavior? I questioned my judgment on Jessica's bitterness at lunch today. Maybe she was not as resentful as I'd thought.**

 **It couldn't have anything to do with me. He didn't know me from Eve.**

"Yes it's just your blood he has a problem with right Eddie" laughed Kate

 **I peeked up at him one more time, and regretted it. He was glaring down at me again, his black eyes full of revulsion. As I flinched away from him, shrinking against my chair, the phrase if looks could kill suddenly ran through my mind.**

"poor Bella" Sue whispered and Rosalie and Esme nodded in agreement

"Edward you had better not be like that when Bella gats here or your piano and music collection will both suffer the consequences" Alice threatened

Edward gulped but still nodded in acceptance

 _Screw is piano his life will be forfeit if he does this to her when we change things and we will I will make sure of it_ Tanya thought to herself before continuing

 **At that moment, the bell rang loudly, making me jump, and Edward Cullen was out of his seat. Fluidly he rose — he was much taller than I'd thought — his back to me, and he was out the door before anyone else was out of their seat.**

"Edward you idiot why were you walking so fast she is observent enough to catch that!" Rosalie hissed

"Sorry but I don't want to kill the girl" Edward hissed back

 **I sat frozen in my seat, staring blankly after him. He was so mean. It wasn't fair. I began gathering up my things slowly, trying to block the anger that filled me, for fear my eyes would tear up. For some reason, my temper was hardwired to my tear ducts. I usually cried when I was angry, a humiliating tendency.**

 **"Aren't you Isabella Swan?" a male voice asked.**

 **I looked up to see a cute, baby-faced boy, his pale blond hair carefully gelled into orderly spikes, smiling at me in a friendly way.** **He obviously didn't think I smelled bad.**

They all laughed at that

 **"Bella," I corrected him, with a smile.**

 **"I'm Mike."**

 **"Hi, Mike."**

 **"Do you need any help finding your next class?"**

 **"I'm headed to the gym, actually. I think I can find it."**

 **"That's my next class, too." He seemed thrilled, though it wasn't that big of a coincidence in a school this small.**

 **We walked to class together; he was a chatterer — he supplied most of the conversation, which made it easy for me. He'd lived in California till he was ten, so he knew how I felt about the sun. It turned out he was in my English class also. He was the nicest person I'd met today.**

At that everyone turned to Edward who had his head down in shame

 **But as we were entering the gym, he asked, "So, did you stab Edward Cullen with a pencil or what? I've never seen him act like that."**

"Like that would hurt us though she should totally do it" Kate said and him and the others laughed at the mental image all but Edward that is

 **I cringed. So I wasn't the only one who had noticed. And, apparently, that wasn't Edward Cullen's usual behavior. I decided to play dumb.**

 **"Was that the boy I sat next to in Biology?" I asked artlessly.**

 **"Yes," he said. "He looked like he was in pain or something."**

 **"I don't know," I responded. "I never spoke to him."**

 **"He's a weird guy."**

"No doubt he is" Emmett said

"Uh Emmett your weirder than me" Edward said

"Am not"

"Are too"

"Am not

"Are too"

"Are"

"Boys stop it now" Esme said calmly and they sighed but gave up

 **Mike lingered by me instead of heading to the dressing room. "If I were lucky enough to sit by you, I would have talked to you."** **I smiled at him before walking through the girls' locker room door. He was friendly and clearly admiring. But it wasn't enough to ease my irritation.**

 **The Gym teacher, Coach Clapp, found me a uniform but didn't make me dress down for today's class. At home, only two years of RE. were required. Here, P.E. was mandatory all four years. Forks was literally my personal hell on Earth.**

 **I watched four volleyball games running simultaneously. Remembering how many injuries I had sustained — and inflicted — playing volleyball, I felt faintly nauseated.**

 **The final bell rang at last. I walked slowly to the office to return my paperwork. The rain had drifted away, but the wind was strong, and colder. I wrapped my arms around myself.**

 **When I walked into the warm office, I almost turned around and walked back out.**

 **Edward Cullen stood at the desk in front of me.**

Everyone turned to Edward who just shrugged as clueless as everyone else

 **I recognized again that tousled bronze hair. He didn't appear to notice the sound of my entrance. I stood pressed against the back wall, waiting for the receptionist to be free.**

 **He was arguing with her in a low, attractive voice. I quickly picked up the gist of the argument. He was trying to trade from sixth-hour Biology to another time — any other time**

"Ah so your moving classes" Carlisle said his voice serious " it must have been close if you're taking that precaution"

 **I just couldn't believe that this was about me. It had to be something else, something that happened before I entered the Biology room. The look on his face must have been about another aggravation entirely. It was impossible that this stranger could take such a sudden, intense dislike to me.**

 **The door opened again, and the cold wind suddenly gusted through the room, rustling the papers on the desk, swirling my hair around my face.**

"Great" Edward moaned

 **The girl who came in merely stepped to the desk, placed a note in the wire basket, and walked out again. But Edward Cullen's back stiffened, and he turned slowly to glare at me — his face was absurdly handsome — with piercing, hate-filled eyes. For an instant, I felt a thrill of genuine fear, raising the hair on my arms. The look only lasted a second, but it chilled me more than the freezing wind.**

"I hope you're a little bit better after this chapter Edward" Tanya growled

"I don't know I hope I am too" Edward sighed

 **He turned back to the receptionist.**

 **"Never mind, then," he said hastily in a voice like velvet. "I can see that it's impossible. Thank you so much for your help." And he turned on his heel without another look at me, and disappeared out the door.**

Edward looked down at that and sighed as he thought about how he was starting to like the girl after all

 **I went meekly to the desk, my face white for once instead of red, and handed her the signed slip.**

 **"How did your first day go, dear?" the receptionist asked maternally.**

 **"Fine," I lied, my voice weak. She didn't look convinced.**

"Hmm she did say she was a bad liar I guess that was an understatement" Jasper said causing a slight smile to appear on everyone's face

 **When I got to the truck, it was almost the last car in the lot. It seemed like a haven, already the closest thing to home I had in this damp green hole. I sat inside for a while, just staring out the windshield blankly. But soon I was cold enough to need the heater, so I turned the key and the engine roared to life. I headed back to Charlie's house, fighting tears the whole way there.**

"You made the poor girl cry" Esme scolded and Edward sighed.

"That's the end" Tanya growled beyond upset with her cousin

"I'll read next" Irena said interested in the girl she suspects is her sisters mate and taking the book.


	7. Chapter 6: Open Book

**Chapter 6: Open Book Part 1**

 **The next day was better… and worse.**

"How could a day be better and worse?" Brady asked confused.

"Maybe it was better because she realized that her first day of school was all a dream and when she woke up it is actually her first day of school!" Quil exclaimed excitedly.

There was a moment of silence where everyone looked at him like he lost his marbles while Quil Sr. rolled his eyes at his grandson and wondered not for the first time if this was the result of when he accidentally dropped him when he was a baby.

Edward snorted at Quil Sr. thoughts and privately agreed with the old man because from what the wolf was thinking he thought that is what happened.

Tanya who was still pissed about the last chapter blinked at the wolf and was suddenly calm as she thought of that explanation and the fact that if it was a dream then Edward never got his hooks in her. Though she knew better she could pretend for just a second that her mate was not being dazzled into loving Mr. Control freak.

Jacob chuckled at his friend and though like Tanya he was worried about his imprint he knew Bella was a fighter and stubborn as hell and even in a thrall she could fight it so he wasn't worried. He knew that this is about the future and as she wasn't here yet they could change it.

Leah rolled her eyes at the idiot she calls a pack brother. Like her mates she was worried and pissed at what was happening to her imprint but like Jacob she knew they could change the future so she wasn't worried. What she was worried about was that now that the Cullen's know about Bella and her 'relationship' with Edward they would keep Bella from her and her mates and that was just unacceptable. So she resolved to keep an eye on them throughout the books.

Irena simply raised a brow at the blushing teen wolf and rolled her eyes before she returned to the book to finish reading about her sister's mate.

 **It was better because it wasn't raining yet, though the clouds were dense and opaque. It was easier because I knew what to expect of my day. Mike came to sit by me in English, and walked me to my next class, with Chess Club Eric glaring at him all the while; that was funny.**

"Ha that must be funny having those two fighting over you" Kate snorted showing how little sympathy she had for the girl. Well being a succubus why the hell would she show anything other than pride or admiration for having more than one guy fight over you. Tanya, Jacob and Leah growled at the mention of anyone other than them showing interest in her. With Edward they had to hide their growls to not start a conflict and as they knew they could and would kill the jerk if he became a problem. With human boys however they cannot kill them so there is that.

 **People didn't look at me quite as much as they had yesterday. I sat with a big group at lunch that included Mike, Eric, Jessica, and several other people whose names and faces I now remembered. I began to feel like I was treading water, instead of drowning in it.**

 **It was worse because I was tired; I still couldn't sleep with the wind echoing around the house. It was worse because Mr. Varner called on me in Trig when my hand wasn't raised and I had the wrong answer.**

"What an asshole!" Leah growled glaring at the book in Irena's hands causing Irina to growl in warning before she continued. Irena just wanted to get this over with without so many interruptions. In fact she is surprised Kate hasn't interrupted as much and is suspicious about it but won't look a gift horse in the mouth. Ignoring her sister's she wolf Irena continued while keeping a wary eye on her sister and the wolf. Thank god for vampire reflexes as having to keep an eye on two people and reading a book, it would be impossible without it.

 **It was miserable because I had to play volleyball, and the one time I didn't cringe out of the way of the ball, I hit my teammate in the head with it.**

"GO B! HIT THAT HEAD!" Emmett shouted while laughing as he wiggled his brows suggestively causing the female population to eww in disgust while the guys laughed. Though everyone laughed at Emmett getting smacked on the back of his head five times by five different people.

Once by Jacob, Leah and Tanya for speaking about their mate like that.

Rosalie for speaking like that about woman in general.

Kate just because she felt like it.

Pouting at the people responsible for his headache and rubbing the back of his head he sunk lower into the couch to sulk ignoring the snickering of everyone in the room.

 **And it was worse because Edward Cullen wasn't in school at all.**

At that Esme turned to look at her son with worry in her eyes _why aren't you in school Edward?_

"I don't know as it hasn't happened yet but it might be that I left so I won't kill her" Edward said softly.

Tanya, Leah and Jacob growled at Edward speaking about killing their mate and resolved to keep an eye on him and if necessary kill him in order to protect their mate.

 **All morning I was dreading lunch, fearing his bizarre glares. Part of me wanted to confront him and demand to know what his problem was. While I was lying sleepless in my bed, I even imagined what I would say. But I knew myself too well to think I would really have the guts to do it. I made the Cowardly Lion look like the terminator.**

 **But when I walked into the cafeteria with Jessica — trying to keep my eyes from sweeping the place for him, and failing entirely — I saw that his four siblings of sorts were sitting together at the same table, and he was not with them.**

 **Mike intercepted us and steered us to his table. Jessica seemed elated by the attention and her friends quickly joined us. But as I tried to listen to their easy chatter, I was terribly uncomfortable, waiting nervously for the moment he would arrive. I hoped that he would simply ignore me when he came, and prove my suspicions false.**

 **He didn't come, and as time passed I grew more and more tense.**

"It seems she has it pretty bad for you Edward" Emmett teased causing the other Cullen's to laugh.

"Or she senses how dangerous he is to her and is tense because she knows he will return and being absent one day doesn't mean she won't see him elsewhere." Leah said through gritted teeth at thinking she was in his thrall already by just being in his presence for just one day.

 **I walked to Biology with more confidence when, by the end of lunch, he still hadn't showed. Mike, who was taking on the qualities of a golden retriever, walked faithfully by my side to class.**

"I can so see that" Kate and Emmett said simultaneously before they looked at each other for a second before laughing hysterically

 **I held my breath at the door, but Edward Cullen wasn't there, either. I exhaled and went to my seat. Mike followed, talking about an upcoming trip to the beach.**

 **He lingered by my desk till the bell rang. Then he smiled at me wistfully and went to sit by a girl with braces and a bad perm. It looked like I was going to have to do something about Mike, and it wouldn't be easy. In a town like this, where everyone lived on top of everyone else, diplomacy was essential. I had never been enormously tactful; I had no practice dealing with overly friendly boys.**

"Well, we're going to have to fix that," Tanya declared determinately as she thought of all of the people interested in her mate and getting their hopes up because she is too nice to say no. Leah nodded her agreement as she fantasized ways to teach Bella how to say no to a guy

 _Leah was at the Bonfire teaching Bella how to say no to a guy "This Bella is how you say no to a guy." Leah walked up to Sam and kicked him as hard as she could in his nuts dropping the howling Alpha to the ground crying in pain. Turning to face Bella a triumphant grin spread across her face as she saw Bella looking at her in adoration and lust._

" _Any questions?" Leah asked smug she made her mate look at her like that and got to kick her ex and her Alpha._

" _What if I need to say no to a girl?" Bella asked voice husky with desire as she looked at Leah in hunger and anticipation. Leah gulped as she caught those sultry eyes and thought of a way to answer the question and get some action. After thinking about it she couldn't think of a reason/ Screw it!_

" _Let's go to my house and I will show you, this might take a while-to get the technique."_

 _With that I dragged her to the car to get home to have my wicked way with her._

Leah was broken out of her fantasy at the pointed clearing of a throat from Deadward who had seen her thoughts and was cringing the entire time. Edward was honestly horrified at what he would have seen if she had not snapped out of it. _That girl is a worse pervert than Emmett and Kate and that is saying something!_

Glancing questionably at their mate with a raised brow Leah shrugged and pointedly looked away from her mate's darkened gaze. Leah knew they had probably smelt her arousal but she will be damned if she tells them with everyone in the room.

A moment of awkward silence later Irena continued.

 **I was relieved that I had the desk to myself, that Edward was absent. I told myself that repeatedly. But I couldn't get rid of the nagging suspicion that I was the reason he wasn't there. It was ridiculous, and egotistical, to think that I could affect anyone that strongly. It was impossible. And yet I couldn't stop worrying that it was true.**

"Poor girl" Esme and Rosalie said sympathetically.

"It's true!" Emmett and Kate said in sync grinning at their apparent twinness.

 **When the school day was finally done, and the blush was fading out of my cheeks from the volleyball incident, I changed quickly back into my jeans and navy blue sweater. I hurried from the girls' locker room, pleased to find that I had successfully evaded my retriever friend for the moment. I walked swiftly out to the parking lot. It was crowded now with fleeing students. I got in my truck and dug through my bag to make sure I had what I needed.**

 **Last night I'd discovered that Charlie couldn't cook much besides fried eggs and bacon.**

 **So I requested that I be assigned kitchen detail for the duration of my stay.**

"Oh come on that stuff is grosses how she can eat it" Emmett said while making a face and the other Cullen's nodded in agreement

"hey don't knock food! Its sacrilege!" yelled Brady in mock outrage.

"Yeah what he said!" Collin cheered in agreement with his pack brother.

"No that's what she said!" Quil said stupidly pointing at Emmett who nodded in agreement before he realized he was called a girl.

"Hey!" Emmett yelped indignantly as everyone laughed at the idiots in the room.

 **He was willing enough to hand over the keys to the banquet hall. I also found out that he had no food in the house. So I had my shopping list and the cash from the jar in the cupboard labeled FOOD MONEY, and I was on my way to the Thrift way.**

 **I gunned my deafening engine to life, ignoring the heads that turned in my direction, and backed carefully into a place in the line of cars that were waiting to exit the parking lot. As I waited, trying to pretend that the earsplitting rumble was coming from someone else's car, I saw the two Cullen's and the Hale twins getting into their car. It was the shiny new Volvo. Of course. I hadn't noticed their clothes before —**

"WHAT!" Alice shrieked in horror at the thought of not noticing clothes. Jasper patted her sympathetically on the back as everyone snicker at Alice's horrified- near traumatized face.

 **I'd been too mesmerized by their faces. Now that I looked, it was obvious that they were all dressed exceptionally well; simply, but in clothes that subtly hinted at designer origins. With their remarkable good looks, the style with which they carried themselves, they could have worn dishrags and pulled it off. It seemed excessive for them to have both looks and money.**

 **But as far as I could tell, life worked that way most of the time. It didn't look as if it bought them any acceptance here.**

 **No, I didn't fully believe that. The isolation must be their desire; I couldn't imagine any door that wouldn't be opened by that degree of beauty.**

"That is true" the Cullen's agreed much to the Packs dismay. Unlike the Cullen's who were well off and would want for nothing, the Pack while not poor was not nearly well off. Everyone member of the pack- no every member of the tribe had to work in order to make ends meet and with the wolves there had to be so much food and many clothes purchased in order to accommodate them.

 **They looked at my noisy truck as I passed them, just like everyone else**

"I don't think it's only the truck we were looking at, but at her as well seeing as she drove away our brother" Rosalie said regretfully hoping that this time around she doesn't treat Bella like crap. There was no interaction between them yet but Rosalie knew she would give this human a really hard time.

 **I kept my eyes straight forward and was relieved when I finally was free of the school grounds.**

 **The Thrift way was not far from the school, just a few streets south, off the highway. It was nice to be inside the supermarket; it felt normal. I did the shopping at home, and I fell into the pattern of the familiar task gladly. The store was big enough inside that I couldn't hear the tapping of the rain on the roof to remind me where I was.**

 **When I got home, I unloaded all the groceries, stuffing them in wherever I could find an open space. I hoped Charlie wouldn't mind. I wrapped potatoes in foil and stuck them in the oven to bake, covered a steak in marinade and balanced it on top of a carton of eggs in the fridge.**

 **When I was finished with that, I took my book bag upstairs. Before starting my homework, I changed into a pair of dry sweats, pulled my damp hair up into a pony-tail, and checked my e-mail for the first time. I had three messages.**

 **Bella," my mom wrote…**

 **Write me as soon as you get in. Tell me how your flight was. Is it raining? I miss you already. I'm almost finished packing for Florida, but I can't find my pink blouse. Do you know where I put it? Phil says hi. -Mom.**

 **I sighed and went to the next. It was sent eight hours after the first.**

 **"Bella," she wrote…**

 **Why haven't you e-mailed me yet?**

 **What are you waiting for? Mom.**

 **The last was from this morning.**

"Wow, worry much" Kate said sarcastically rolling her eyes.

 **Isabella,**

 **If I haven't heard from you by 5:30 pm today I'm calling Charlie.**

 **I checked the clock. I still had an hour, but my mom was well known for jumping the gun.**

 **Mom,**

 **Calm down. I'm writing right now.**

 **Don't do anything rash.**

 **Bella.**

 **I sent that, and began again.**

 **Mom,**

 **Everything is great. Of course it's raining. I was waiting for something to write about.**

 **School isn't bad, just a little repetitive. I met some nice kids who sit by me at lunch. Your blouse is at the dry cleaners - you were supposed to pick it up Friday. Charlie bought me a truck, can you believe it? I love it. It's old, but really sturdy, which is good, you know, for me.**

At that everyone laughed

"Then Tanya is going to be really good for you!" Kate said suggestively wriggling her up and down at Tanya who if she could would be blushing right now.

"KATE!"

 **I miss you, too. I'll write again soon, but I'm not going to check my e-mail every five minutes. Relax, breathe. I love you.**

 **Bella.**

 **I had decided to read Wuthering Heights — the novel we were currently studying in English**

"God I hate that book" Edward said with a grimace

"Hey! What's wrong with that book?" exclaimed Bella's two female mates staring at Edward like they were going to attack him for daring to insult their favorite book.

"Nothing," Edward grimaced at the thoughts ranging from the girls from smacking him to how they would role play with Bella and Jacob

 **Yet again for the fun of it,** **and that's what I was doing when Charlie came home. I'd lost track of the time, and I hurried downstairs to take the potatoes out and put the steak in to broil.**

 **"Bella?" my father called out when he heard me on the stairs.**

 _ **Who else?**_ **I thought to myself**

"It could be vampire" Emmett said with a laugh.

"Or a werewolf!" Seth joked

"Or an alien!" Quil shouted excitedly causing everyone to look at him like he was the biggest moron in the room-which might be true.

"What the hell?" Embry looked at his best friend incredulously.

Seeing the looks he was getting her shrugged and said what he thought should have been obvious.

"What?! Vampires are real, so are werewolves! Why not aliens?"

Everyone was shocked, not because they have never thought of it like that before but because Quil said something smart. Embry concerned for his friend felt his forehead as if checking for a fever much to Quil's dismay.

"What?" Quil whined as he tried to escape his friend's grabby hands.

"Due are you alright?" Embry asked in concern.

"Yeah I feel fine. Why?"

"Because you almost sounded smart," Embry answered causing everyone one to laugh and Quil to pout.

" **Hey dad, welcome home."**

 **"Thanks." He hung up his gun belt and stepped out of his boots as I bustled about the kitchen. As far as I was aware, he'd never shot the gun on the job. But he kept it ready.**

 **When I came here as a child, he would always remove the bullets as soon as he walked in the door. I guess he considered me old enough now not to shoot myself by accident, and not depressed enough to shoot myself on purpose.**

 **"What's for dinner?" he asked warily.**

 **My mother was an imaginative cook, and her experiments weren't always edible. I was surprised, and sad, that he seemed to remember that far back.**

 **"Steak and potatoes," I answered, and he looked relieved.**

 **He seemed to feel awkward standing in the kitchen doing nothing; he lumbered into the living room to watch TV while I worked. We were both more comfortable that way. I made a salad while the steaks cooked, and set the table.**

 **I called him in when dinner was ready, and he sniffed appreciatively as he walked into the room.**

 **"Smells good, Bell."**

 **"Thanks."**

 **We ate in silence for a few minutes. It wasn't uncomfortable. Neither of us was bothered by the quiet. In some ways, we were well suited for living together.**

 **"So, how did you like school? Have you made any friends?" he asked as he was taking seconds.**

 **"Well, I have a few classes with a girl named Jessica. I sit with her friends at lunch. And there's this boy, Mike, who's very friendly. Everybody seems pretty nice." With one outstanding exception.**

"Aww she's thinking about you again Eddie-kins" Emmett said while his brother groaned and Tanya, Leah and Jacob growled.

 **"That must be Mike Newton. Nice kid — nice family. His dad owns the sporting goods store just outside of town. He makes a good living off all the backpackers who come through here."**

 **Do you know the Cullen family?" I asked hesitantly.**

 **"Dr. Cullen's family? Sure. Dr. Cullen's a great man."**

"He truly is" Esme said with a warm smile as she looked at her mate causing the girls to coo at how cute they are and the boys to roll their eyes

 **They… the kids… are a little different. They don't seem to fit in very well at school."**

 **Charlie surprised me by looking angry.**

 **"People in this town," he muttered. "Dr. Cullen is a brilliant surgeon who could probably work in any hospital in the world, make ten times the salary he gets here," he continued, getting louder. "We're lucky to have him — lucky that his wife wanted to live in a small town. He's an asset to the community, and all of those kids are well behaved and polite. I had my doubts, when they first moved in, with all those adopted teenagers. I thought we might have some problems with them. But they're all very mature — I haven't had one speck of trouble from any of them. That's more than I can say for the children of some folks who have lived in this town for generations. And they stick together the way a family should — camping trips every other weekend… Just because they're newcomers, people have to talk."**

"Wow I never thought anyone would talk about us like that" Jasper said seeing as the family was stunned into silence

 **It was the longest speech I'd ever heard Charlie make. He must feel strongly about whatever people were saying.**

 **I backpedaled. "They seemed nice enough to me. I just noticed they kept to themselves. They're all very attractive," I added, trying to be more complimentary.**

 **"You should see the doctor," Charlie said, laughing. "It's a good thing he's happily married. A lot of the nurses at the hospital have a hard time concentrating on their work with him around."**

Esme growled in jealousy and wrapped a possessive arm around her mate

 **We lapsed back into silence as we finished eating. He cleared the table while I started on the dishes. He went back to the TV, and after I finished washing the dishes by hand — no dishwasher — I went upstairs unwillingly to work on my math homework. I could feel a tradition in the making.**

"And how tragic that is" Kate said in mock sadness

 **That night it was finally quiet. I fell asleep quickly, exhausted.**

 **The rest of the week was uneventful. I got used to the routine of my classes. By Friday I was able to recognize, if not name, almost all the students at school. In Gym, the kids on my team learned not to pass me the ball and to step quickly in front of me if the other team tried to take advantage of my weakness. I happily stayed out of their way.**

 **Edward Cullen didn't come back to school.**

 **Every day, I watched anxiously until the rest of the Cullen's entered the cafeteria without him. Then I could relax and join in the lunchtime conversation. Mostly it centered around a trip to the La Push Ocean Park in two weeks that Mike was putting together. I was invited, and I had agreed to go, more out of politeness than desire.**

 **Beaches should be hot and dry.**

 **By Friday I was perfectly comfortable entering my Biology class, no longer worried that Edward would be there. For all I knew, he had dropped out of school. I tried not to think about him, but I couldn't totally suppress the worry that I was responsible for his continued absence, ridiculous as it seemed.**

 **My first weekend in Forks passed without incident. Charlie, unused to spending time in the usually empty house, worked most of the weekend. I cleaned the house, got ahead on my homework, and wrote my mom more bogusly cheerful e-mail. I did drive to the library Saturday,**

 **but it was so poorly stocked that I didn't bother to get a card; I would have to make a date to visit Olympia or Seattle soon and find a good bookstore. I wondered idly what kind of gas mileage the truck got… and shuddered at the thought.**

 **The rain stayed soft over the weekend, quiet, so I was able to sleep well.**

 **People greeted me in the parking lot Monday morning. I didn't know all their names, but I waved back and smiled at everyone. It was colder this morning, but happily not raining. In English, Mike took his accustomed seat by my side. We had a pop quiz on Wuthering Heights. It was straightforward, very easy.**

 **All in all, I was feeling a lot more comfortable than I had thought I would feel by this point. More comfortable than I had ever expected to feel here.**

 **When we walked out of class, the air was full of swirling bits of white.**

"YAY! SNOW!" Kate said excitedly bouncing up in down in glee

 **I could hear people shouting excitedly to each other. The wind bit at my cheeks, my nose.**

 **"Wow," Mike said. "It's snowing."**

 **I looked at the little cotton fluffs that were building up along the sidewalk and swirling erratically past my face.**

 **"Ew." Snow. There went my good day.**

"Wh...Wh…. HOW CAN SHE NOT LIKE SNOW" Emmett shouted

"She really is weird" Carmen said

"That she is" Eliezer agreed

"I think Blondie's is broken," Quil pointed out bringing everyone's attention to Kate who sat there staring ahead blankly looking indeed broken.

Irena looked at her usually immature and lively sister, then she got up and hugged Tanya and her mates and said in a serious voice.

"You girl deserves a medal. I approve" Before she promptly returned to her seat and continued reading ignoring the snickers in the room.

 **He looked surprised. "Don't you like snow?"**

 **"No. That means it's too cold for rain." Obviously. "Besides, I thought it was supposed to come down in flakes — you know, each one unique and all that. These just look like the ends of Q-tips."**

 **"Haven't you ever seen snow fall before?" he asked incredulously.**

 **"Sure I have." I paused." On TV."**

That caused everyone but a whimpering Emmett and a still broken Kate to laugh

 **Mike laughed. And then a big, squishy ball of dripping snow smacked into the back of his head. We both turned to see where it came from. I had my suspicions about Eric, who was walking away, his back toward us — in the wrong direction for his next class.**

 **Mike apparently had the same notion. He bent over and began scraping together a pile of the white mush.**

 **"I'll see you at lunch, okay?" I kept walking as I spoke. "Once people start throwing wet stuff, I go inside."**

 **He just nodded, his eyes on Eric's retreating figure.**

 **Throughout the morning, everyone chattered excitedly about the snow; apparently it was the first snowfall of the New Year. I kept my mouth shut. Sure, it was drier than rain — until it melted in your socks.**

 **I walked alertly to the cafeteria with Jessica after Spanish. Mush balls were flying everywhere. I kept a binder in my hands, ready to use it as a shield if necessary.**

 **Jessica thought I was hilarious, but something in my expression kept her from lobbing a snowball at me herself.**

 **Mike caught up to us as we walked in the doors, laughing, with ice melting the spikes in his hair. He and Jessica were talking animatedly about the snow fight as we got in line to buy food. I glanced toward that table in the corner out of habit. And then I froze where I stood. There were five people at the table.**

 **Jessica pulled on my arm.**

 **"Hello? Bella? What do you want?"**

 **I looked down; my ears were hot. I had no reason to feel self-conscious, I reminded myself. I hadn't done anything wrong.**

 **"What's with Bella?" Mike asked Jessica.**

"I wonder if she's sick" Jacob asked worried

 **"Nothing," I answered. "I'll just get a soda today." I caught up to the end of the line.**

 **"Aren't you hungry?" Jessica asked.**

 **"Actually, I feel a little sick," I said, my eyes still on the floor.**

With that Irena marked her spot and closed the book much to everyone's confusion. Seeing everyone's confusion she rolled her eyes at the apparent slowness in the room. It is bedtime for the humans and hunting time for the vampires.

Glancing in surprise everyone noticed it was indeed bed time for the humans. Well, dinner first than bedtime. With that everyone begrudgingly agreed to read more tomorrow and everyone headed to bed after dinner.


End file.
